5 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System

It’s flu season, and even if you don’t fall ill like Piers Morgan after publicly receiving a flu shot from Dr. Oz, you still run the risk of getting sick. Particularly in the colder months, when we are sitting inside more often, our houses are closed up, and we stay in close quarters—it’s the perfect time for illness to thrive. But, when you take precautions to keep your immune system running on high, you can skip the tissues and even natural cold remedies, and coast through winter without a second thought. Here are 5 ways to supercharge and strengthen your immune system.

1. Strengthen Your Immune System – Eliminate Sugar

There are many ways to boost your immune system, but eliminating sugar is one of the first steps. Sugar puts a serious damper on your immune system, in addition to increasing your risk of disease. When the recommended daily sugar intake is 25 grams and a single bottle of Coke contains as much as 60 grams, we know the modern diet is way too immersed in the sweet stuff.

If you want to seriously boost your health and reduce your risk of numerous health issues like obesity and diabetes, seriously consider reducing sugar intake. Opt for a bit of honey or a natural sweetener like Stevia instead.

2. Herbal Teas

Many people get out herbal tea when they are already feeling ill. But many herbs can do wonders for boosting immune function before you’re hit with sickness. Try Echinacea, elderberry, peppermint tea, green tea, and even ginger throughout the day and before going to bed.

3. Green Smoothies and Juicing

Have a produce-packed smoothie once daily to up your overall intake of plant foods and provide a healthy dose of nutrients for your immune system. Include at least one leafy green vegetable (spinach, kale) and one good source of vitamin C (a little orange juice, pineapple, or lime). These aren’t only good for you, they are fun to make.

4. Expose Yourself

When your body is exposed to germs, it learns how to better fight them of and protect itself, ultimately boosting immunity. This is part of the problem with the overabundance of antibacterial soaps, gels, and lotions. Use plain soap and forgo antibacterial gels unless absolutely necessary. Breathe the same air as other people and don’t be afraid to touch a doorknob once in a while. Or, play in the dirt!

5. Eat Garlic

Garlic is an amazingly wonderful immune-boosting food that no one should ignore. The food has anti-cancer properties, fights inflammation, is great for detoxing, and possesses anti-infection, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Don’t just cook with garlic though—eat it raw if you can. Coating it in raw honey can help make the pungent root more palatable.

Do you know about all of these solutions to strengthen your immune system, but never actually partake in them?! In order to stay healthy, you have healthy habits. Tis the season for colds and flu, but you don’t have to be a statistic this year. Eat right, get active, and keep your immune system functioning as it should. If you do get sick, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and consume some immune-boosting foods. Lastly, here are 5 foods NOT to eat while sick or battling a cold.

Here’s the deal with me, I have this irrational fear of getting herpes, especially in the eye. That’s why I don’t touch my face or rub my eyes unless my hands are clean. I wash my hands every opportunity I have and I know that’s bad cuz I need to keep my immune system strong. I hear the virus can last long on surfaces. The internet has conflicting data on this virus.

RuthieTruthie

2hazelgree, you need to get your head out of the sand and educate yourself. Charles Magus is speaking the truth that you can not handle. Quit listening to Fox news, CNN, Msnbc and the other networks because they are owned by the Dark Souls of the Elites who only tell you what they want you know. Take responsibility and quit allowing yourself to be brainwashed.

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coconutcreamcare

Well did I learn something.
I have been cooking using garlic for years, now after reading your article I'll add the garlic last. Eat it raw. Wow I never knew.
Thanks

OMAR

touching door knobs is the stupidist thing you can do.

Joe

I breathed the same air in a crowded grocery store and caught the flu. If you're going to touch doorknobs try not to touch you're nose or mouth.

Charles Magus

All Flu shots are Deliberately Contaminated with Toxins to actually make you ill and even kill the most vunerable in our society, like the very young, the elderly and the weakest. This is part of a Depopulation agenda to cull the population, The Eugenics society did not stop in the 1940s, it just went underground, its members were the international Criminal zionist Banksters, Royalty and many members from Secret societies like the Masons and the Illuminati.

2hazelgreen

Your comments are from a pretty disturbed mind, and adds nothing but toxicity to this blog.. Please post on a site that welcomes haters….REALLY….

Many people I know are severely allergic to both raw garlic and raw onions. I get migraines and stomach distress from raw eating raw garlic. Some Eastern Religions claim that eating raw garlic creates anger. IMO raw garlic stinks and makes people sicker. Ewwww.

Patti Jo Edwards

We add homemade apple vinegar to our smoothies. It is easy to make and so alive! Just put an unwashed ORGANIC apple (remove the stem, but keep the core with seeds), add enough filtered water so that the blender will liquify the apple, pour into a jar with one tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar containing the "mother". the "mother" is the yeast that makes vinegar. The yeast naturally occurring on the apple skin of organic apples will ferment the apples. The vinaigrette will cause the mix to turn to vinegar. This mix will be alive and create gas, so leave the lid loose and sit it in a bowl during the first 5 days. when you remove the lid, a thin layer on top may be bad: spoon it of into your compost. under this layer, you will see, a beautiful mix of vinegar apples. It makes an exquisite delightful probiotic additive for smoothies that is sustainable. When you are ready to make the next batch, just add a Tablespoon of the first batch to the next as an inoculate. You can use the vinegar apples to start other fruits for vinegar fruits. I have done pears, figs, tomatoes, and Anaheim chilies.

salli

I’d like to learn more about fermented foods from you. It sounds great. salli

http://twitter.com/SeekBluntTruth @SeekBluntTruth

5 ways to strengthen your immune system

neelam

wonderful information

PWSTAR

Carey – just such a delicious combo and I've had it myself, actually.
Wrapping garlic bulbs as they are and baking in the toaster over, cooks in no time and eat them straight out of their peel is a no work sort of approach, as well.

As much as I love parmesan cheese though, I have to say that it's the most salt laden of all, I believe.
Much as I enjoy it as you stated, it will make you acidic rather than alkaline which of course defeats the purpose of this healthy little snack. SO, either minimize the parmesan or do as i do having tucked into some hagendaaz with perhaps a cup of coffee (high acid combo again). Savour what you enjoy and then suffer (a little) with the antedote that will get you back on an alkaline track.

That would be Bragg's organic Apple Cider Vinegar ( two teaspoons in some water – up to 8 ozs) if this is too hard to handle then add less water and drink quickly, like a shooter!
For those who cannot get used to the taste, funnily enough it's usually men – my little trick is to put the ACV in apple juice (as long as it's low or non acidic, such as Martinelli which is just soft and divine) and tastes fine.

chrissy

Great Post. Drinking my smoothie right now as I read this. Kale, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, Lime, Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamin C, Beet crystals, Living Fuel Super Berry. Absolute Yum. I also take Invision Ionic Silver and Oregano Oil to kill all the buggies as well as Vitamin D. So far it's been a healthy winter season for me here in the Northeast.

Carey

put garlic through a press, or mince finely, spread on a slice of bread with some olive oil, top with chopped parsley and grated parmesan, and voilá! delish!